Democrat Brett Hulsey to run for Wisconsin governor

Democratic state Rep. Brett Hulsey is entering the race for governor in Wisconsin.

Hulsey, who runs an energy and environmental consulting business called Better Environmental Solutions, timed his announcement, which came on April 21, for "Earth Week."

He said, in a news release, that his plan for the state "reverses the Walker tax increases on working families and seniors, saves babies and reduces abortions, protects communities from strip mining and creates a Penokee Hills State Park instead of one of the world's largest strip mines."

Hulsey's plan is called Get Wisconsin Working Again and it proposes to reinvest $2.1 billion in clean energy jobs, job training, public school systems and technical colleges.

Hulsey, in the announcement, referred to "Gov. Walker's reign of error" and said the Republican has made Wisconsin second in the nation in losing jobs.

Though his statement focused on challenging Walker, Hulsey's entry into the governor's race would mean he'd first face Mary Burke in a Democratic primary.

Hulsey's political experience includes four years in the state Assembly, 14 years on the Dane County Board, 17 years at the Sierra Club, volunteer service in Alaska during the 1970s energy crisis and environmental policy adviser on the Clinton-Gore campaign in 1991.

In other news today, the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters board of directors announced its endorsement of Burke.

“Mary Burke is whip smart, a good listener, and knows how to make the tough decisions. I was especially glad to see how deeply she personally values Wisconsin’s natural resources. Voters can trust that Mary Burke will be a leader on air, water, and land protection,” said board president Roger Larson in a news release.